A Light in the Dark
by LittleMoments24
Summary: Macey Highgrove has been hurt before. So deeply, that she moved away from her hometown to Africa, where she isolated herself for two years. But, when a figure from her past makes a reappearance in her life, she finds herself on a roller coaster that she has always tried so hard to stay off of... Hale/OC
1. Chapter 1

CHAPTER 1

I can't believe he called me. I just couldn't believe that he had the nerve to call me, after all these years. Well, actually it's only been two years, but it could very well be 20 for all I care.

I replayed the phone conversation in my head.

"_Hey Macey, it's Hale," an achingly familiar husky voice had said into the phone, when I picked it up._

_I was shocked into silence._

"_How… How did you find me?" I managed to choke out, finally finding my voice._

_The other voice exhaled a small sigh, and I knew that he was smiling. "Well, you didn't exactly make it hard."_

_By now, I was mad. "Why the heck did you call me? When a girl moves to Africa, nearly 3,000 miles from her hometown, you could take the hint that she doesn't want anything to do with you!" I all but screamed into the phone._

_There was silence on the line. Nobody spoke for at least half a minute so I was about to hang up, when Hale decided to grace me with his answer. "I need your help."_

_I opened my mouth to say something, no doubt cuss him out, but he beat me to it. "Now before you shoot me down, just listen to me."_

_Of course, he knew me better than anyone else, so he knew exactly how to shut me up._

"_I'm listening," I muttered through gritted teeth._

"_I can't say much over the phone, but if you trust me, come to the place we used to play. You know, the one where you always got your head stuck in that log," I could almost see his goofy smile._

"_Uh if I remember correctly, that was you," I replied, trying to hold back a smile. Wait! What was I doing? I was letting myself getting sucked into his charm, like a total idiot._

"_I'll think about it, just tell me when," I said coolly._

"_Day after tomorrow, 11 P.M. sharp. I already booked you a flight, which leaves in an hour, so hurry up and pack."_

"_Wait, hold up. What makes you think that I'm coming?" I said disbelievingly._

" '_Cause I know you."_

_I heard a beep, signaling the end of our call. _

Stupid, cocky jerk. Insolent little dolt.

I cursed his name while I threw clothes into a suitcase.

I didn't even know why I was doing this.

Did I hate him? Yes.

Did I think he had devil horns hiding under his too-perfect-to-be-real hair? Absolutely.

Was I going to drop everything and actually help him? Probably.

I didn't know what was wrong with me, but I decided not to fight it and just go see what the heck he needed.

* * *

I got off the plane after a long 13 hour flight. Hale was thoughtful enough to get me first-class tickets, but I didn't even think he knew what coach class was. Even first-class isn't classy enough for him. He probably flew around in a private jet, or yachted around in his family's... yacht.

I looked at the time, 10:09 P.M.

I cursed under my breath and headed outside to signal a taxi. I was never going to make it in time, but I got into the cab anyway.

I handed the taxi driver a $100 bill and told him that he could keep the change if he got me there fast. I probably shouldn't have said that. The speedometer never went below 95 the whole way to Ridley's Brook.

I got out of the taxi and looked at the time, 10:53 P.M.

Now that I was here, I began to have second thoughts about this. I had just dropped everything and rushed here because of a phone call less than five minutes long. I was definitely going crazy.

10:57.

I knew the kid wouldn't show up. He's already 18 and he's still the same guy I knew two years ago. I exhaled and decided to give him a couple more minutes.

11:02.

I got up and starting to get my things together. I should've known he wouldn't show, it was probably just some stupid prank.

Just as I started to leave, I heard a voice from the trees behind me.

"Come on, Mace. You should give me more credit than that," Hale stepped out of the trees, without making a sound.

I gasped in shock and spun around, dropping my handbag in the process. He bent quickly and retrieved it, coming closer to return it. I snatched it out of his hands and backed up a couple of steps, we were way too close for my comfort.

"I'm not going to bite. Now, how about a hug? I haven't seen you in what, two years?" he smirked.

_Was he for real?_ I thought as I cautiously regarded him. He had definitely gotten taller over the last couple of years. And if possible, hotter. I shook my head to clear the mutinous thoughts.

"What do you want, Hale? I came all the way back here just to talk to you, so this better be good."

"Oh it is," Hale casually leaned against a tree, "We have a job, and we need a person of your caliber."

"Uh-huh. Now tell me, what exactly do you need me for?"

"Well, I can't exactly tell you until you agree to help me, now can I?"

I blew out a breath of exasperation as I rolled my eyes.

"How long has it been since you've done a job? I mean really, don't you miss the excitement, the adrenaline? Or how a perfectly planned heist falls into place exactly how it was supposed to?" Hale said, stepping closer with each word.

With every point he was making, I realized that I did miss 'the life'. But I was, in no way in heaven and above, going to help him. At least, not without answers.

While I was thinking, Hale had gotten so close that I couldn't see the moon behind him. I could smell his cologne, it actually smelled really good. But there was also another scent, less prominent, but it was present. Something that could just be described as _Hale_.

He reached up and brushed a strand of my long auburn hair out of my face.

"I really have missed you, you know? Why did you leave? It took me ages to track you down," he murmured, looking into my eyes.

I flinched like I'd been electrocuted and backed away a good five feet. I knew it was childish but I still didn't trust him, with anything. So I don't think he has the liberty to touch me.

Suddenly, reality crashed down on me. What was I doing? I had told myself for _two years_ that I absolutely WOULD NOT see head or tail of him, ever. And here I was, about to agree to something I didn't even know about.

I backed even further away, and turned around to leave.

"Where are you going? Car's the other way," I heard Hale say.

"Home. Don't ever contact me again." I snapped at him before swiftly walking away, with my suitcase in tow.

I felt his hand on my arm, effectively stopping me and spinning me around.

"What!" I snarled, trying to contain my anger at him.

"You've never been good at looking scary," he noted, stepping back and studying me.

"Look here, mister. I want absolutely _nothing_ to do with you! Why can't you get that through your thick skull? After the last time I saw you… Just buzz off!" I snarled, poking his chest and knocking him back a couple of steps.

His eyes widened as his eyebrows shot up. I might have taken it too far, but it felt good to finally let go of all that anger that has been plaguing me since I last saw him.

I huffed out a breath and waited for his response.

"We're up against the I.G.G during the heist, if you wanted to know."

The blood drained out of my face as my heart literally thudded to a halt. My breath hitched as I thought about my last encounter with the Institution of Greater Good , or the I.G.G.

"I knew that would get your attention, I remember what happened the last time-," Hale started.

"Don't… Just don't," I cut him off, "What makes you think that I want to see them after what they did to me?"

"I know that you were scared stiff, but that you also felt like tearing each and every one of their heads off. I also happen to know that you would give anything to have another chance at them," Hale said matter-of-factly.

I looked at him, slightly surprised, but not shocked that he would know that. I mean, I was a delirious little 14 year old, who knows what I told him.

Hale inched forward, gazing into my eyes. "What happened, Macy? I mean, I haven't seen you for two years," he said gently, capturing me in his hazel-eyed gaze. Jeez, the boy was persistent.

The intense look in his eyes made me a little uncomfortable, so I broke off eye-contact and looked at my feet. "We grew apart after you met Kat, and then the cave-in happened, and then I didn't know what to do. So, I decided to leave. I moved to Africa and did a bunch of work with the natives and the research stations there-" I clamped my hand over my mouth, I had said way too much.

I had told myself over and over again that I would NOT spill my heart out to him, but here I was, doing that very thing. His eyes just drew the answer out of me.

But, just remembering that horrible cave-in that killed my father was something that I could not think of without crying. I felt myself tearing up, but I swallowed my sobs and turned around from him. There was absolutely no way that I was letting him see me cry.

"You know what? I'll do the job," I said, still not looking up at him. I have to admit, I was curious, and I did want to experience another heist. I didn't want to admit it, but Hale was right. I needed another shot at the I.G.G, for my father's sake. "Tell me what my part is."

He backed up and took my suitcase from me. "I'll tell you in the car, Marcus has the engine running."

We headed back through the trees to the road. I saw a long black stretch limousine parked on the side of the road.

When Marcus caught sight of us, he got out of the driver's seat and opened the back for us.

"Ah, long time no see Ms. Highgrove. How have you been?" Marcus asked politely, with a smile.

"I've been just dandy, what about you?"

"Thanks for asking, I'm great," Marcus said as he closed the door behind us and got back into the driver's seat.

"He hasn't changed a bit!" I told Hale as I leaned back on the soft, leather seats.

"Yeah, always been a suck-up," Hale said, grinning as he got himself a bottle of water. He threw a can of Coke at me, knowing it was my favorite. I raised an eyebrow at him as I caught it.

He noticed me looking and shrugged, "We knew each other for a long time, and I'm not the type of guy to forget easily."

"Fair enough." I leaned back and closed my eyes, relishing in the comfort of high-class leather.

While I relaxed and Marcus drove us to whatever house Hale owned these days, he filled me in on the job.

There was a new art museum opening near Paris, called the Muse d'Art. It wasn't too big or fancy, but there were two things about it that catches a thief's attention. One, they were revealing a priceless painting called, _A Light in the Dark_, By Unknown. And secondly, they had a state-of-the-art security system, almost as good as the one in Louvre. Nobody would have a security system like that, unless they had something worth protecting, or stealing. Our job was to steal it, simple enough.

It was a fairly simple job, but my heart still sped up every time I thought about it. I really did miss the excitement.

"We're here," Hale said as we pulled up to a small mansion. It was plenty big to me, but in Hale-standards, it wasn't very big. I mean the lot was only like 20ish acres. Yep, not big at all.

We got out of the car and started toward the door, with Marcus bringing my suitcase behind us.

Hale held the door open for me as I took a deep breath.

_Did I really want to do this?_ I asked myself. Well, it was too late to back out now.

* * *

**Howdy! I suddenly had an idea for this story during English and I am absolutely excited by it! Let me know what you think! Cough..Cough.. That means review.. Cough ;)**

**-Courtney(:**


	2. Chapter 2

I stepped inside his mansion and immediately drew in a sharp breath. This mansion may not be the biggest, but it was beautiful.

The mahogany wood floors glistened under the light from the numerous crystal chandeliers lighting the foyer. A grand staircase was located at the end of the hall, with hallways on either side, no doubt leading to the kitchen and the dining room.

I may not live in a mansion anymore, but I still knew the basic layout of one. I had decided to downgrade to a modest living arrangement in Africa. Even though it wasn't that big, it was comfortable and close to the research facility, which were my two biggest requirements. I was hit by a sudden stab of homesickness, even though Africa wasn't my native home, it still felt like home after two years of complete isolation there.

I was too busy gawking at the luxury, that I didn't notice the rest of the people waiting near the door. They all looked at me with varying expressions.

Hale stepped in behind me and nudged me forward. I remembered enough of my mother to recall the manners she drilled into me at a young age. So I stepped forward and took another deep breath, about to introduce myself.

"Save it, we know who you are," a bored looking girl said, filing her nails. She was drop-dead gorgeous, to say the least. Her lustrous hair tumbled down her back in loose curls. Her full red lips formed a perfect pout as she examined a non-existent error in her perfectly manicured hands. "I'm Gabrielle."

"Simon," a nerdy looking guy with glasses stepped forward. He shyly raised his hand in an awkward wave and dropped it to his side.

"Nice to meet you both," I smiled, using my instinctive good graces.

A girl I didn't notice at first stepped out of the shadows. Her close cropped dark hair framed her face, bringing out her piercing sapphire eyes. She stepped forward, and everything about her screamed angry.

But, her anger wasn't directed toward me. Her gaze was fixed on the boy standing next to me.

"You actually brought her! You brought us a girl that we barely know and trust her not to go squealing at the first opportunity," the girl said quietly, but full of concentrated intensity.

Hale replied coldly, "The girl has a name, and I would appreciate you using it."

I was startled at his reaction. The way they handled each other reflected comfortable familiarity, but now they acted as if they were enemies. I assumed that they had a fight, and with a sinking feeling, I realized the topic had been me.

"We could have handled this job perfectly fine without _her_," she snarled.

I took a step back, stung by her brutal remark. I bumped into Hale, who moved to stand behind me.

"Kat, we both know that we need someone. Give me one reason why we can't use her," he demanded.

"Nick," the name was more of a whisper, "We also both know that we can use Nick."

Hale made a disgusted sound at the back of his throat. Obviously, they've had this argument before, many times.

Kat rolled her eyes and blew out a breath of exasperation. Without one look at me, she turned on her heel and retreated to the shadows, effortlessly blending in. I could tell she was a master thief. And one of the reasons my life fell apart.

"I've always been more of a dog person anyway," I muttered under my breath, not intending anyone to hear. But, with my luck, Hale heard me just fine, and gave me a sharp jab with his elbow. I glared at him and rubbed the sore spot on my side.

"Okay, a lot of tension here. I'm just gonna… you know…" Simon muttered, before trying to inconspicuously leave the room, and successfully tripping on his way out.

Gabrielle rolled her eyes and started to follow, turning back to give me a little half-wave before stepping out.

"Nice people," I said to Hale.

Hale gave me a look and grabbed my suitcase. He started toward the grand staircase, but I stopped him and grabbed my bag from him.

"I can handle my own bag, thank you very much," I said, brushing past him.

"Still as stubborn as an ox," I heard him mutter as he trailed after me.

"Well, then that makes two of us," I tossed back over my shoulder.

"You don't even know where your room is," Hale informed me, as I stopped and glared at him.

"Then lead the way, dummy."

Hale grinned and walked past me, climbing up the stairs and turning to the right. He started down a long narrow hallway, carpeted by a thick, rich rug. Opening the second door on the left, he beckoned me in.

I stepped inside and gasped. The luxury of my hometown never ceased to amaze me after my two modest years.

My room was a good size, with a queen bed placed in the middle. A bright, happy fire blazed in the corner, throwing a warming light over the room. But the thing that drew my attention was the huge window. It took up an entire wall, and gave me an outstanding view of Hale's mansion's backyard. I placed my hand on the cool glass and looked outside, promising myself that I would go out first thing tomorrow morning.

"I knew you'd like the view," Hale said, casually leaning on the wall, "Marcus is on Line 1 if you need anything."

I nodded, not taking my gaze off of the splendor of the moonlit grounds.

I felt, rather than saw, Hale smile as he crept outside, closing the door soundlessly.

I stirred myself from the position in front of the window and started toward my suitcase, pulling my sweatshirt off in the process. I quickly changed into pajamas and climbed into bed. My eyes were closed before my head hit the pillow.

* * *

_Darkness closed in on me, smothering me in a suffocating blanket. I couldn't breathe, couldn't move, couldn't think. _

_My eyes strained to see something, anything. I tried to ignore the panic closing in on me, clogging my throat and making it hard to breathe._

_I tried moving my limbs, to find that they were pinned under a heavy, unmovable force. _

_I opened my mouth, but no sound came out. My breathing quickened, and I knew I was having a claustrophobia attack. I thought of wide open skies, an endless expanse of trees. Anything but the darkness closing in on me._

_This is how my dad died, alone and scared._

_Thinking of that only made my panic swell. It was getting harder and harder to get air into my strained lungs._

_Suddenly, a harsh red light filled my vision. A loud siren penetrated the silence, overpowering the sound of my thumping heart._

_At the edge of my vision, I saw a dark-clad figure retreating into the outer shadows. I called out for help, but the figure didn't even spare a glance in my direction before completely disappearing._

_The cloak of darkness fully descended on me, blocking out the light and muffling the siren. I felt the life drain out of me, leaving my limbs limp and lifeless. I gave up the fight, and gave in to the dizzying blackness._

My eyes flew open. Gasping, I sat bolt upright, trying to get my bearings. I struggled to get out of my bed; my sheets were tangled around me. I only succeeded in hopelessly wrapping myself tighter. In my blind panic, I rolled right off the bed, and landed in a heap on the floor.

I wrenched the sheets off of me and scrambled to my feet, wrapping my arms around myself as I tried to block out the horrible memories of my dream.

I looked around the room, now cloaked with an unfamiliar darkness. The walls started to cave-in, getting closer and closer to me. My thumping heart was the only thing I heard as I stumbled toward the door and pulled it open.

I blindly ran through multiple corridors and ended up hopelessly lost. It didn't help that the narrow hallways reminded me of a maze, with no way out. I slumped against a wall and slid to the floor. I closed my eyes and tried to ward off the nausea. I've had claustrophobia attacks like this ever since my dad died, but none of them were as bad as this one.

My hand clenched at my sides as I squeezed my eyes shut. I tried to make my breathing even, just as an old shaman in one of the African tribes had shown me.

"Macey?" I heard a quiet voice ask, sounding concerned.

I lifted my head and opened my eyes. Hale came into focus in front of me. He knelt down so he could look me in the eye. I felt something break inside of me, probably my sanity.

"Get me out of here," I whispered, my voice barely loud enough to hear.

Hale looked at me for another moment before rising to his feet, pulling me up with him. He started off through the hallways at a brisk pace, and I stumbled to keep up. He looked back and grabbed my arm, helping me keep my balance.

Many twists and turns later, Hale opened a door and I felt the cool night breeze gently brush my face. I was overcome by an intense desire, and I pushed past him and onto the deck.

I gulped in the fresh air as the cold bit my cheeks. I gripped the back of a lawn chair to hold myself upright. Giving up, I slumped down into the chair and waited for the dizziness to go away. And gradually, it did.

Meanwhile, Hale had taken a seat next to me and waited for me to speak. I was grateful to him for giving me time to calm down before he bothered me about my freak out. I pulled my knees up and wrapped my arms around myself, trying to keep the horror of my dream in.

I couldn't help but wonder if the dream meant anything. I had a strange foreboding sense about it. And the figure skirting around the edge seemed familiar, in fact, he reminded me of one of the I.G.G men. They're trained to step lightly and surely, with utmost confidence. And the shadow cloaked man had done that very thing.

I shivered and huddled against the side of the chair, remembering my last encounter with the I.G.G.

"Cold?" Hale asked, not waiting for my answer before shrugging off his jacket and tossing it in my direction. I didn't even question the fact that he was fully dressed, although it had to be pretty late.

I barely caught it before it hit my face. I stuck my tongue out at him before slipping my arms into the sleeves. Immediately, warmth washed over me in a protective cocoon.

But, even the warmth of the jacket couldn't erase the memory of that horrible day.

The I.G.G was responsible for the death of my father. He was getting to close to discovering a cure to a certain type of cancer, and the I.G.G didn't want him to cure it. They would lose business from the millions of people who buy their panacea, or fake medicine.

So, they decided to pay him a 'visit' while he was at one of his many research stations. I was only 12 years old, but the memory is still etched clearly in my mind.

"_Whatcha doing squirt?"_

_My dad's voice jarred me out of my stupor. I was so immersed in my novel that I hadn't heard him come in._

"_Reading again huh? That's your mother's side, I don't think I can ever sit here and slog through The String Theory," he teased, absent mindedly looking at something on his lab chair._

"_It's not The String Theory, Dad! It's Pride and Prejudice… I read The String Theory yesterday," I laughed at his goofy expression. My dad was a genius, to say the least, but he absolutely despised reading. He was one of those men who'd rather spend their days outdoors. My mom was a quiet woman who loved to read, and would tell me stories about Greek Mythology and Regency England. I really did miss her._

"_Thank goodness you have some of me in ya! I always need a partner to go hiking with," Dad said as he slipped on his goggles. "Do you want to look at Fredrick?"_

_I giggled and snapped another pair of goggles on my head, abandoning my book on a chair. Fredrick was an amoeba that I discovered a couple days ago. He didn't do much, but I liked to watch him pull himself around._

_I just turned the microscope on, when I heard the door bang open behind me. I gasped in shock and turned around. But, before I could see anything, Dad pushed me behind him and blocked my view._

"_What do you want?" Dad's voice was cold and angry. I had never heard him sound like this, so I froze and pressed up closer against him. I grasped his lab coat with my hands, and tried to peer around him. I looked through the gap between his arm and his side._

_Three guys in dark suits were standing in front of the wide open door, all standing straight and tall. Two guys were standing off to the side, creating a menacing presence. It didn't help that they had dark shades covering their eyes. The third man stood slightly in front of them, and I could tell that he was the real leader here. His posture was loose and relaxed, unlike his comrades, but everything about him screamed self-assured confidence. His eyes were a deep blue that studied the room with a calculating expression._

_I gasped when his eyes landed on me, and drew back around my dad._

"_Oh nothing, Mr. Highgrove. Just a reminder, and I clearly remember paying you a visit just two weeks ago. How's the cure coming along?" the man said casually. I felt my dad tense slightly at the mention of his top-secret work. How did these people know about it?_

"_That's none of your business, Mr. Wright," my dad's cold tone was a sharp contrast to the man's inviting one. But, I heard a subtle undertone of malice in the man, Mr. Wright's, tone._

"_Oh, none of the formalities here, Charlie. Call me Samuel."_

_I peeked back out and looked closer at the man. In actuality, he wasn't even that irregular looking. He had dark hair cut in a military grade buzz cut, and I could barely make out a dagger sheath hanging on the belt of his slacks. Something told me that he had something to do with the military._

"_And we wouldn't want anything… unfortunate to happen to your little daughter over there," Samuel said smugly, knowing that he had hit a weak point._

_Dad tensed all the way and put his arms behind him, shielding me in a protective cage. _

"_There's absolutely no way in hell that you're going to lay a finger on my daughter!" Dad roared as he menacingly stared Samuel down. I cringed and backed away, my eyes wide in fear. I've never seen Dad raise his voice, at anyone._

_Faster than I could think, one of the Sunglasses Men, as I now thought of them, grabbed my dad and locked both of his arms behind him. The other one grabbed my arm and pulled me into him, clamping a hand over my mouth. _

_I screamed as loud as I possibly could, but it was muffled through the man's hand. He twisted my arm roughly, effectively cutting my scream short. I screwed my eyes shut as white hot pain flashed through me, ebbing only when Sunglasses Man slightly loosened his grip._

_I cracked my eyes open and saw my father punch the guard right in the face and start toward the guy holding me. Before he reached me, the man pulled out a knife and pressed it under my chin. _

"_I wouldn't do that if I were you," Samuel clucked his tongue disapprovingly, as Dad immediately froze. His eyes were wide and I saw a flash of fear pass through them. My heart thudded loudly in my chest, I had NEVER seen my dad scared, he wasn't scared of anything._

"_Come back here and let's have a civilized conversation," Samuel said, not looking fazed at all. "I don't have any quarrel with her."_

_Dad backed slowly away, and returned to the table. Samuel spoke in a quiet tone to my dad, so I couldn't make out what they were saying. _

_I clutched the man's arm that was holding the knife and tried to pry it away, but he had the strength of an ox. I tried to crane my neck and get a look at his face, it was absolutely expressionless. How could he stand to threaten a 12 year old girl and her father? We're all each other had left!_

_I looked back to my father in time to see him nod submissively. He quickly looked back at me, before leaving the room. I caught my breath and tried not to cry. I didn't want my father out of my sight._

_Samuel crossed the room with slow leisurely steps, slowly nearing me. I tried to back away, my eyes wide with fright._

"_I'm not going to hurt you," Samuel said, noting my terror._

_I swallowed my terror and glared back defiantly at him. There's no way that he's going to see me be weak._

_Samuel took my chin in his hands and forced me to look at his face._

"_Macey Highgrove, right?"_

_I jerked my chin out of his grasp, refusing to talk to him._

"_Feisty little one, aren't you?" he asked, sounding unconcerned. He got to his feet just as my dad re-entered the room._

_Dad handed Samuel a file and a flash drive. Samuel turned to my captor and waved his hand. Immediately, he released his hold on me and I stumbled away from him, making sure to step on his foot._

_I ran to my dad. I flew into his open arms. I felt his warm, strong arms wrap tightly around me for a moment before he let go and kneeled down. He looked up at me for a moment before reaching up and lightly stroking my face._

"_You have your mother's eyes squirt," he murmured._

_I gulped._

"_Okay, Macey, I want you to listen to me very carefully, okay?"_

_I nodded, unable to say anymore. He sounded suspiciously like he was saying goodbye._

"_As soon as I get up, I want you to run out of here okay? I'll be right behind you. But, whatever you do, DO NOT stop, okay?" Dad said in a hushed, hurried whisper._

_My breathing quickened but I nodded._

"_I love you, squirt. Don't ever forget that."_

"_I love you too, Dad."_

_He kissed my forehead softly, before rising to his feet. I turned around and saw Samuel watching us with an amused expression._

_I felt Dad slightly push me from behind and I knew that I had to go. I flew straight toward the door, shooting straight between the two guards. I heard footsteps behind me and I knew that Dad was right there._

_I opened the door and started to run again, but I realized that I didn't hear my dad behind me anymore. I turned around and saw him fighting with the guards, holding them back. And giving me time to escape._

"_Dad!"_

_He punched a guard and yelled, "Get out of here, Mace! GO NOW!"_

_I turned and fled, feeling my heart cave in on itself. I ran and ran and ran, into the woods. _

_Finally I stopped and doubled over, gasping for breath. I climbed a tree and waited in the highest branch. I wouldn't go anywhere until my father found me. I could see the research facility from my perch._

_I didn't believe he was dead._

_Not even when I saw the smoke._

_Not even when the Sunglasses Men ran out, with Samuel Wright._

_Not even when the facility caved in on itself._

_Not even when the police found me, still clinging to the tree and looking at the collapsed building._

_I couldn't grasp that I was never going to see my father again._

* * *

**Hey guys! Sorry it's been a while since I updated, but I've been really busy lately. And its summer, so what's up with that? Anyway, let me know what you think!**

**-Courtney(:**


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